SEIU Local 199 represents the Physical Plant workers, the School Year Secretaries and as of 2005, the Food Service workers at the Iowa City Community School District. Physical Plant employees affiliated with SEIU Local 199 to be better able to defend members against arbitrary management decisions. The Secretaries affiliated with Local 199 more recently when they concluded that management wasn't going to take them seriously until they were part of a union. In 2004, Food Service workers decided that as the only remaining group of workers without a collective voice, they needed to form their own chapter of SEIU Local 199.
SEIU members in these bargaining units have played a large role in electing a majority of the Iowa City Community School District Board of Education and as a result have seen a much better response to their needs as district employees.
SEIU members played a key role in obtaining 71% support for the second largest bond measure ever passed in the state of Iowa. As a result of their efforts, they have been given a seat at the table on the bond oversight committee which oversees administration of the $30 million bond.